5.0 Transportation Projects
The City of Laguna Hills follows the OPR Technical Advisory recommendations for assessing transportation projects subject to CEQA review. Transportation projects must consider their potential effects on VMT. If a project is likely to cause a measurable and substantial increase in vehicle travel, the lead agency should conduct an analysis to assess the amount of vehicle travel the project may induce.
The VMT Scoping Form for Transportation Projects is provided in Appendix B. Projects listed by OPR that may lead to a substantial increase in vehicle travel include:
- Addition of through lanes on new or existing highways (general purpose, HOV, peak period, auxiliary lanes, or lanes through grade-separated interchanges).
Projects Not Likely to Induce Substantial Vehicle Travel
Certain types of transportation projects are generally considered unlikely to induce substantial or measurable increases in vehicle travel, and therefore typically do not require an induced travel analysis. These include:
- Rehabilitation, maintenance, replacement, safety, or repair projects aimed at improving the condition of existing transportation infrastructure, such as highways, bridges, tunnels, transit systems, and facilities for bicycles and pedestrians.
- Installation of roadside safety devices like median barriers and guardrails.
- Addition of short auxiliary lanes (under one mile) aimed at improving roadway safety.
- Installation, removal, or reconfiguration of lanes that are not for through traffic, such as left-turn pockets or emergency breakdown lanes.
- Capacity improvements on local or collector streets that also enhance conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users.
- Signal timing optimization for vehicles, bicycles, or pedestrians.
- Installation of roundabouts, traffic circles, or traffic calming devices.
A complete list of projects that are unlikely to lead to a substantial increase in vehicle travel can be found in the OPR Technical Advisory (Appendix E).
Circulation Network and Presumption of Less Than Significant Impact
The City recognizes the importance of completing its planned circulation network to meet local and regional transportation and land use goals, as outlined in the City’s General Plan and SCAG’s RTP/SCS. Transportation projects that add new through-lane capacity to arterial highways are presumed to have a less than significant impact, provided:
- The improvement is less than one (1) mile in length.
- The project aligns with the General Plan’s Circulation Element Roadway Classifications.
- The project accommodates multimodal transportation, including pedestrian, bicycle, and transit facilities.
Such minor modifications to roadways are typically considered unlikely to cause significant changes to travel demand patterns in the OCTAM model.
Other transportation facilities not expressly listed here or in the OPR guidance, which are deemed by the Public Works Manager as not directly increasing VMT, may also be presumed to have a less than significant impact under CEQA.
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